The Bill Petitti Quartet

BILL PETITTI... started out playing drums at the age of 10 and never stopped playing through his teens. Later he studied flute at Roosevelt University in Chicago and the Dick Grove School of music in L.A. He studied many years with Larry Kassin, a wonderful classical flautist originally from Chicago as well. He also studied for over 5 years with Jim Grantham at the old Keystone Korner in San Francisco. Grantham is an incredible musician and jazz educator who, as Bill will tell you, “Never let you get away with anything.” Now Bill plays tenor sax along with soprano, flute, and alto flute, and is a gifted and prolific composer.

TIM NELSON... was trained in classical piano before embracing jazz and improvisation. Along the way, he has studied with jazz pianists Harold Danko and Debbie Poryes. A native of the Bay Area, he recently moved back after a 30-year stay on the East Coast, where he was a teacher and researcher in the biological sciences at Yale University.
RICK WALLACE... started out gigging with his Fender Jazz bass in the small towns of Western Pennsylvania. After moving to Colorado, he started studying the acoustic bass with legendary teachers Dale Brunning (mentor to Bill Frisell) and bassist Paul Warburton. Later he studied music at the Berklee College of Music and for the last 10 years has studied with Bay Area bassist Glenn Richman. He lists Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, Scott La Faro, and Michael Moore among his many influences. In his long career, he’s played at the Bottom Line, Gertie’s Folk City and CBGB in New York City. In Colorado, he played at legendary venues Ebbets Field and Tulagis.

RICK VENA... is a professional drummer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he has been a performer, educator, composer, band leader and arranger. Rick has recorded, toured and performed with Klezmer Orchestra, Circus band, musicals, Big Bands jazz trios and more. He has a BM from San Francisco State University School of Music as well as an MM from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. He also studied with incredible pro-drummer Robert Kaufman.
“I don’t know how Bill Petitti does it. Seemingly every week he brings us a new composition to absorb and rehearse. I’ve played in a lot of jazz bands, but the originals are what makes this band unique.” – Rick W.
Here’s a brief synopsis of just some of the originals:
Mr Peng – Following a medical crisis in 2023, Bill promised to write a composition for the surgeon who pulled him through, Dr. Peng. This driving 12-bar is full of musical twists – you have to hear his use of the Maj7 #5 chord to appreciate his harmonic inventiveness. When we debuted this tune at the Way Station in November of 2025, it got a great response. Sometimes it’s hard to get people’s attention, but this composition makes an impression.
The Return of Pickles – The whimsical title of the composition refers to a cat who escaped an encounter with a coyote. When Rick told the story to Bill, he came up with this 12-bar homage with unusual harmonic and melodic twists.
The Brightening – This one is in the post-bop mode of Bill’s favorite composers - Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Joe Henderson - but it is definitely its own thing, with its interesting balance of contradictory moods. According to Bill, the song is about meeting the changes and challenges life throws at you and ultimately rising above them, no matter what. Tim Nelson says, “I hear it as light coming at dawn, with the hit-pause phrases at the beginning as the light is just peeking through, then becoming stronger and steadier through the head.”
Seven Trane – Bill’s tribute to John Coltrane, this is a driving 12-bar minor blues with a pedal point in the last four bars to move it into the next level of intensity.
When You Know – A breezy Bossa Nova composition that might inspire the audience to order some umbrella drinks, dreaming of a beach in the Caribbean. At least they’ll feel better after listening to it. Bill said he was influenced by Freddie Hubbard’s Little Sunflower.

The band also plays some unusual standards like Jerry Bergonzi’s reharmonized versions of “I Remember You” and “Dancing in the Dark,” plus Tom Harrell’s beautiful “Moon Alley”.
Before the pandemic, the quartet used to play East Bay venues like Cafe Chiave (both in Berkeley and Oakland) plus our San Francisco base, The Atlas Cafe in the Mission District. Now we’re looking for a new venue to bring the quartet’s music to his audience and fans.